Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
JM SQUAD came from behind to defeat Easyway 70-66 in Group B of the YOU.C1000 Cup on Monday.
Marcus Quirk produced a game-high of 23 points for JM Squad and Jeremy Chu added 20.
Lu Yong poured in 12 points in the triumph at the BBA Court in Batu Bersurat.
On the other hand, Jonathan Lim paced Easyway with 19 points while Hj Ahmad Alfariq Hj Bahrom Affendy contributed 15.
Jake Chong was the other in double figures with 10 in a losing effort.
Easyway led the entire first half and built their advantage to as large as 15 points.
It was in the third stanza that JM Squad took it up a notch to hold their opponents to two field goals and outscore them 18-5 in the 10-minute frame.
They went in front for the first time after Chu converted a close range basket to make it 46-45 on the 2:42 mark.
The game was for either to take as it remained - mainly being a one to two possession encounter in the decisive period.
JM Squad led 61-55 midway through and they extended the gap to nine points.
A good defensive play by Quirk at one end led to a layup courtesy of Tung Yee Keong to make it 66-57 with 1:36 to play.
Easyway got to within six points but Quirk took on two defenders to finish with hoop and harm at the rim.
He completed the three-point play to put the game to bed at 70-61 with 15.7 seconds left.
Lim then got a quick layup to go at the other end before Kelvin Chai knocked down a trey at the buzzer off a turnover as a mere consolation.
